Severus Snape's Biggest Mistake
by wishing on a shooting star
Summary: This is about Lily and Severus during school. While I do believe that it couldn't have ever worked out, if Lily had met Severus the way he was after her death, things might have been different. "Sometimes I think that we sort too early." AWPBD
1. Questions

"It's called Hogwarts." He said.

"Hogwarts?"

"Yes, Hogwarts. And there is a village next to it called Hogsmeade."

"Does everything in the wizarding world have to do with pigs?"

"No, of course not! There's Diagon Alley, and Godric's Hallow…"

"How do you know all this?"

"My mum told me."

"What about your dad?"

"He's a muggle."

"Muggle?"

"Like your sister. Not magical."

"And I am?"

"Yes."

"How can you be sure?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well, you just know. The way you can make stuff happen."

"Why can't Tuney be magic too?"

"She just can't."

"We can't make her magic?"

"No."

She sighed. "I don't want to leave her behind."

"I…you could write."

"Write?"

"Write a letter. To the headmaster. And ask if she can go too."

"Okay. But I don't have an owl."

"Use the muggle post. And Lily…"

"Yes Severus?"

"Don't tell her that it was my idea, all right? She doesn't like me much."

"Don't worry. I won't."

"Promise?"

"I promise."


	2. Best Friends

Severus's POV

I never, not for a second, actually thought that the letter would get through to Professor Dumbledore. If I had, I would never have suggested it to Lily. Petunia doesn't belong at Hogwarts. Lily and I do. I don't like Petunia. Sometimes I wonder if she and Lily are even related. Petunia's hair is this sandy brown color, like mud mixed with white paint, while Lily's is a soft, auburn red. Not like fire, but fall. Petunia's eyes are a pale blue and much too wide, her voice screeches when she talks, whining in that high, cold tone of voice that is enough to drive me mad.

"Lily!" I heard her say one day, as I was watching them again. "Lily! Mummy told you not to!"

Lily wouldn't say something like that. She hadn't even replied, just laughed and sailed into the air, pushing herself off of the swing, flying higher than Petunia ever could have. That was the day I had chosen to reveal myself, and Lily had laughed, followed her sister back home, leaving me alone, always alone, in the park, behind the bush where I had waited every day for her to come again.

Lily's POV

"Oh, Severus. Why did we have to go into her room? I would have found out about the headmaster's reply soon enough."

"I just didn't think that he could've gotten the letter. They must have wizards working in the muggle post office," he said.

My eyes narrowed. "You were the one who suggested it. Why all the surprise now? "

"It's just…I mean…"

"You mean what?"

"That…Oh Lily…I don't know…it seemed like a good idea at the time…I wasn't thinking…and afterwards…I was just so shocked."

I can tell that he's lying, but decide to let it go. "All right. But from now on I'm not going into Tuney's room without her permission.

"Okay, you're right. I'm sorry. I don't have any siblings, I didn't think that she would mind."

This, too, is a lie, but how to tell him that I see through it? Best not to say anything.

"Let's go down to the river! Come on Lily, the weather's nice for the first time in ages."

His apology. I have known Severus for 3 weeks now and already feel that I know everything about him, as though we have been best friends forever.

"All right," I say, and he smiles.

Severus's POV

"Lily…"

"Yes Sev?"

Sev. I like the way it sounds. Her hair glimmers in the summer light. Not a sparkle, it's softer. She looks like she's wearing a golden halo. "You're my best friend."

She smiles. "You're my best friends too."

"For forever?"

"Forever."

"Promise? Best friends forever, Lily?"

She hesitates, then smiles. "I promise."


	3. Dear Petunia

September 2

Dear Petunia,

I am really, really, sorry that I didn't write you yesterday, I meant to, honest! It's just that after the sorting I was so tired I fell asleep with my robes still on and the parchment in my hand.

Oh, Petunia, the sorting! There are four houses here, kind-of like our families, except MUCH bigger. The houses are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor. I'm in Gryffindor. We are sorted into our houses with a magical hat. You put it on your head and it tells you where you ought to be. But first it sings a song about the houses. Oh, I'm getting this all mixed up. Let me start at the beginning.

Well, after we got off the train we went across the lake (there's a lake!) in boats. When we arrived at the castle Professor McGonagal led us into the Great Hall where all of the meals are held. The hat sang it's song. It said that Gryffindors are brave, the Hufflepuffs loyal, Slytherins cunning and ambitious, while the Ravenclaws are smart. Well, we all got sorted, and Severus got put in Slytherin and I in Gryffindor. Slytherins and Gryffindors loathe each other, but Sev and I are still good friends. And James Potter, this rude boy that we met on the train is in Gryffindor too. Anyways, after the sorting we had a most marvelous feast and went to our dormitories. Petunia, the pictures move! Our dormitory is behind The Fat Lady, she's a picture. We have to give a password to get in. The password is Quidditch. It's a sport, played on broomstick. You should hear Potter go on about it!

Please write back soon and tell me how everything is there. I wish so much that you could be here too Petunia, I really do.

Your loving sister (even after your rude goodbye, I am NOT a freak, and you DID want to come,)

Lily Evans


	4. Snivellus

**Severus's POV**

"She still hasn't replied."

"Has the owl come back?" I asked her.

"I don't know. It was a school owl." Her face looked so sad.

"Maybe she's still mad."

"How could she? It's not my fault. Why did it have to be me and not her?"

To this, I had no answer.

They were walking along the river when he saw her. The girl from the train. Her hair was tangled and messy, her eyes red. She was talking to that Slytherin, the one they had dubbed Snivellus.

"Come on James," Sirius called. "What are you looking at?"

"I'm coming," He muttered. _What was her name? _

"Oy! James!"

"I'm coming!" She was pretty, he remembered, though she didn't look it now. Her hair was a tornado of frizz that stuck out in the back.

Sirius threw him a disgusted look, then started walking back towards the castle. As though in a trance, James walked over to the beach tree and sat down, still watching them. He wondered how they had met. Wasn't she muggleborn? Just then, the girl, Evans, he suddenly remembered, Lily Evans, began walking towards the castle. The boy just stood by the edge of the lake, watching her. Once she was out of sight, he picked up a stone, and threw it out into the lake. It bounced once, then sank. Despite himself, James laughed.

"You!"

"Hello."

"What are you doing here?"

"It's not a crime to be wandering the school grounds," James said, slightly miffed.

"Were you spying on us?"

"Had a fight? Evans does seem to have a temper." James smirked, goading him.

"You were spying then!"

"No. Merely wandering the school grounds."

"Yeah? Well leave me alone. And Lily too!"

"Watch it Snivellus, I'll talk to who I like."

"You think you're such a big man-"

"Watch it!"

"Just leave us alone!"

James drew his wand.

"You wouldn't dare." Severus breathed, drawing his own wand. "Don't you _dare _hex me…"

"I will, if you don't shut up. I wasn't spying on you, okay? Just leave it."

Severus's shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry. It's just…we're good friends, and now her sister's being mean, and Lily's upset."

"It's fine."

"Hey James! There you are!" Sirius said. Then he spotted Severus, who still had his wand drawn. "Petrificus Totalus!"

"Sirius, you idiot! James bellowed.

"He was going to hex you!"

"We were just talking!"

"Oh-oh man, I'm sorry. Here." He reached over to help Severus up.

"Aguamenti!" Severus yelled. Both boys were instantly sopping wet.

"Severus, it was a misunderstanding-" James started,

"Yeah? Well now it's an understanding."

It was on this note that they all trudged back up to the castle.


	5. Detention

"Why are you and Potter fighting anyways?" She asked.

"What, you _like_ him now?"

"No! But even if he was rude on the train, really, who cares? It's the first week and you're already in detention because of it."

"I didn't start it! That Black kid did."

"Don't say that! He's _African_, not black. And I'm sure it was Potter, or one of his friends. They're all white. You can stop lying."

"I'm not lying! What do you mean, African? The name's Sirius. Sirius Black."

"Oh. I thought you meant…never mind. I'm sorry."

"Anyways, I'm in detention with Black. And, what's-his-face…the one who's always looking at Potter like he's Merlin come back from the dead or something…"

"I don't know who you're talking about."

"He's in Gryffindor, first year."

"All of Potters friends are in Gryffindor. Bit pathetic if you ask me."

"He's rather chubby…looks like a rat."

"Peter! Peter Pettigrew! Oh, Severus, don't be mean to him, he can hardly lift a wand, poor boy."

"He managed to hex me."

"Hex you!"

"Well, not really. Aguamenti, I used it on Potter a few days ago."

"Severus! Why?"

"Black used a leg locker curse on me for no reason! Do you expect me to take that lying down?"

"No, I suppose not. But still, be careful. It is only the first week."

"I will." I won't get caught, he thought to himself. Promise.


	6. Potions

He was already there when she walked into Potions.

"Hiya Lily,"

"You got Severus in trouble _again_. Don't you _dare_ Hiya me."

"It wasn't my fault."

"Well, it certainly wasn't Black's."

"Yeah, he was in the hospital wing 'cause Snivellus hexed him with some nose-growing jinx."

"Don't call him Snivellus! And anyways, he deserved it."

"How do you know?"

"Sev would never do something like that. Not without a reason."

"Well, he did. We were just walking down the corridor, me and Peter and Lupin and Sirius. Then all of a sudden, bam, there's Snivellus with his wand out muttering some curse, and Sirius got hit."

"Don't call him Snivellus! Besides, that's not how I heard it. Sev told me that you hexed him first."

"That's not true!"

"Of course it isn't. Do you really expect me to believe you?"

"Why do you believe him?"

"Because we're _friends." _she snapped, and walked off.


	7. Studying

"Severus, I have to study."

"You'll do fine."

"I need to study, Sev, please."

"Lils, you'll be great, really, you will. Relax. The exams are four weeks away. A whole month! Come on Lily, it's so nice out."

"No! I have to do well on these exams, I don't want to disappoint my parents…just because you'll get an O in everything without studying doesn't mean that I will."

"Lily, really…"

"Just go Severus! I need to work."

"Okay, okay, I'm leaving. See you after the exams. Or will you need to start reading up on next year's material?"

"You're so not funny Sev, you're really not."

"Bye. Don't kill yourself there." He left.

She wasn't kidding when she said that Severus would get an O on everything. Well, except Defense, and he'd be better if he just applied himself to it. But she couldn't blame him, he was horrible, and he had tried, at first. But during the second semester, he'd just given up, saying that he'd be better at the dark arts themselves, instead of defending himself from them. She had to agree.

Lily was the exact opposite, which was perfect, as they could help each other out. She was proficient in Defense, and her Charms work was excellent, while he was good at Transfiguration and Herbology. They were both dreadful in Care of Magical Creatures as well as History of Magic, and though each excelled in Potions, Severus was much better. He could even improve the directions, astounding Slughorn with near-perfect concoctions, who had no inkling of their secret. Lily used his new-and-improved versions as well, yet somehow, his was always better.

She really did need to study. She couldn't Transfigure a teabag, and had only four weeks to learn the things that everyone else had accomplished in a year's time. She ought to have asked Severus to stay, he could help her. Sighing deeply, Lily picked up the book on Care of Magical creatures, and began to read.

What felt like hours later, she had learned all about unicorns, and knew a little about dragons. Lily knew all about mountain trolls too, which she hoped would help her on History of Magic, though she knew she wouldn't pass that one. And so, with great trepidation, Lily picked up the book on Transfiguration.


End file.
